Electroplating apparatus



March 17, 1925. 1,529,747

l l E. J. MERCIL ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 26, 1924 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 NMUNH W m 1 \1,\ 1\ i WMV m N Nnl ooo 1::o cc ce OQ o v v o OO DO o cacao cebo c Docks@ March 17, '1925.

E. J. MERCIL ELECTROPLATING APPARATUS Filed Jah. 26, 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 r El Patented Mar. 17, 1925.

PATENT "OFFICE,

ELI/[E3 J'. MERCII, OF OAK PARK, ILLINOIS,

4 ELETROPLATING APPARATUS.

Applieationoled January 26, 1924. Serial No.` 688,670.

To all whom it may conce/m."

Be it known that I, ELMER J. MEROTL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oak Park, inthe county of Cook and the State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvementl in Electroplating Apparatus, of which the following 1s a full, clear, concise, and exact descr1pt1on.

My invention relates to electroplatmg apparatus of a class employing tumbling barrels which are turned or otherwise moved in the electrolyte contained in the tanks. These tumbling barrgls are usually equipped with sievelike encompassing walls having portions which are removable for the insertion and removal of the objects that are plated in the apparatus. The cathodes are carried by and within the tumbling barrels and have contact with the electrolyte therein. Anodes are contained on the exteriors of the barrels and are carried by the tanks.y Hitherto the metallic bearings which supported the barrels had electrical connectlon with the cathodes and were, therefore, in the path of the tank current and received thereon plating deposits which, in the course of time, would accumulate to such an extent as to bind the barrels at their bearings to prevent free movement thereof.

In accordance with one feature of my invention the metallic bearings for the barrels are electrically separated from the cathodes so as to be excluded from the tank current thereby to be free of any plating action thereon.

The invention has, as another of its characteristics, the provision of switching means and circuit connections whereby when the barrels are removed from the tanks the tank circuits are opened and when the barrels are restored to the tanks, the tank circuits are closed.

The invention will be more fully explained in connection 'with the accompanying drawings showing the preferred embodiment thereof and in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view on line 1-1 of Fig. 2 with parts shown in elevation; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the structureshown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view through thebarrel and contiguous portions with parts being broken away and 'other parts being shown in elevation; Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4--4 of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a sectional View on line y5--5 of Fig. 3 but on a smaller scale;`

Fig. 6 is anend view illustrating a part of the switching mechanism by which the cathodes in the barrel are brought into and out of the tank circuit, according to the location ed upon the tank in position to permit these anodes to be sulciently inserted within the electrolyte. These bus rods are connected in series by another metallic rod 5, the three metallic rods being connected by a conductor 6 with the positive pole of the electroplating generator or other source of current, this source furnishing direct' current unless the electrolyticV- cell itself is capable of rectifying alternating current.

The tumbling barrel may be of any suitable form and mounted in any suitable way. In the embodiment of the inventionillustrated this tumbling barrel is six sided, being surrounded by a sievelike encompassing wall 8 and having one of its sides detachably applicable with the aid of the fastening bolts 9 as illustrated most clearly in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5. The anode element composed of bars 3 is subdivided into two rows which are sufficiently spaced apart to receive the tumbling barrel therebetween. The cathode element is desirably in the form of eight T shaped metal blocks 10 which are carried by the wooden end walls 11 of the barrel. These lcathode blocks project into the interior of the barrel so as to have contact with the electrolyte.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, the barrel is mounted to turn upon a horizontal axis but, as is well known to those skilled in the art, tumbling barrels arel otherwise mounted to move within the electrolyte of plating tanks and I do not therefore wish to linut myself to the rotation of the barrel upon a horizontal axis.

In the embodiment of the invention illusictA trated the end walls 11 of the barrel which are preferably of wood, carry metallic stub shafts 12-13 which project outwardly beyond the same. A metallic bushing 14 is applied' by means of screws 15 to and upon theoutside of oneL of the end walls 11. All' insulating bushing'l surrounds the metallic bushing14, another metallic bushing 17- surroundsthe insulating bushing 16 and is secured to the same end wall 11 that carries the bushing 14 by means ofthe screws 18. A-n insulating bushing 19 surrounds the metallic bushing 17 and yis housed. by the bushing 20, bushings 19 and 20 being secured to 'the adjacent end walls 11 of the barrel by means of screws 21'. The shaft 12 is preferably in keyed connection with the inner most metallic bushing 14 so that when the shaft is turned the barrel will be turned positively, power being applied to the barrel by a' suitably turned shaft 22 which is brought into connection with the shaft 12 by means of the complemental f clutch members 23 and 24 respectively ,car-

ried bythe shafts 22 and 12L .The revoluble unit which includes the j `elements 12, 14, 1li, 17 and 19 is journaled torotate in a metallic bearing 25 which is Y carried bythe lower end of a hanger 26 having leveling projecting ends 27 which rest upon the" brackets 28 which are carried by the adjacent end y'walls of the tank 1 so as to overlie the electrolyte. By the construction described, the metallic bearing 25 o is so thoroughly insulated and velectrically separated from the cathode element as to be totally excluded from the tank circuit and will therefore; bev free of `theelectroplating action thereon and the accumulation ofA deposits which hitherto `obtained to such an extent as to interfere with the proper movements of the plating barrels. The other stub shaft 13'has a a ged inner end which is assembled at the Ibther end of the barrel with the adjacent barrel end walljll of wood by the screwsl 29. A

flanged sleeve 30, of insulation, houses 'the vmetallic-,stubI shaftl 13 and is placed in 31 which pass into the adjacent wooden end wall 11 of the barrel.

The cathodes 10 at the driven end of the barrel are similarly connected in`the plating circuit by the non-rotatingA slip,con tact body 32 which, at this end 'of the-bar-V rel, is in the foim of a ring which surrounds the stub shaft l12. This ring is held' against the metallic sleeve 17 that is 4 connected with these 'cathodes by the sprin 433. A sti'l terminal 'rod 34 is 'screwe into the ring 32 and passesV upwardly through lthe insulating sleeve 35 that passes through the adjacent metallic hanger 26 for the metallic bearing 25 made preferably of metal; The upper end of vtheten minal rod 34 is outwardl bent at right angles to be engageable with and between the jaws ofthe metallic terminal clip 36 with whichthe negative generator conductor 37 is connected. Y

The cathodes 10 at the other end of the barrel are simil/arly connected in theplating circuit by the non-rotati slip contact body 38. Thisbody is hel against the metallic shaft 13 that is connected with these cathodes, byy the spring 39. .A stiff 'terminal rod 40 is screwed mt the body 38 and passes upwardly through the in-v cathodes 10 at both ends of the barrel arev 'thus connected with the negative `terminal of -the plating .generator whose positive terminalis 'connected with the anodes by the conductor 6, as hitherto described.` The barrel may be raised and the cathode ter- Y minals 34, 40 carried thereby at the same time separated from. their complemental clips 36, 42 loopen the plating circuit whenever the barrelA is to be emptied of its contents or is to 'be loaded with objects to be plated.` The plating circuit isautomatical ly restored when the barrel is lowered into `functioning position.4 It is obvious that changes may Without departing from the spirit l' of my v invention.

Having vthus described my invention claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent the following v l 1. In an electroplating apparatus, the combination with a tank containing an elec trolyte; an anode element in said electrolyte;

a barrel within the tank and in communicabe madev tion with its interior to receive electrolyte therefrom; a cathode element carried by said fixed relation therewith by means of screws barrel and in contact with the electrolyte therein; a metallic bearing structure within` the tank` and upon which "the barrel is mounted to turn, this bearing 'structure being mounted to be movable to permit the i barrel to bie placed in accessible position; a terminal for the'cathode element carried'by the Abearing structure; va circuit. terminal complemental to the aforesaid terminal and t engageable thereby when the barrel arid its bearing structure are. in place within the,

electrolyte and from which complemental circuit terminal the cathode terminal is sep-I arable when the bai-rel is adjusted to be accessible contacts in slipping engagementmstructure to substantially exclude the bear-r ing structure from theplating circuit.

2. In an electroplating apparatus, the

combination with'a tank containing an eleccarried by said barrel trolyte; an anode element in said electrolyte; a barrel within the tank and in communication with its interior to receive' a cathode element and in contact with the electrolyte therein; a metallic bearing structure within the tank and upon which the barrel is mounted to move, this bearing structure being mounted to be movable to permit the barrel to be placed in accessible position; a terminal for the cathode element carried by the bearing structure; a circuit terminal complemental to the aforesaid terminal and engageable thereby when the barrel and its bearing structure are in place Within the electrolyte and from which complemental circuit terminal the cathode terminal is separable when the barrel is adjusted to be accessible; contacts in slipping engagement interposed between the cathode element and its aforesaid terminal; and insulation between said cathode element and said bearing structure to substantially eX`- clude the bearing structure from the plating circuit.

3. In an electroplating apparatus, the combination with a tank containing an electrolyte ;fan anode element in said electrolyte; a barrel Within the tank and in communication with its interior to receive electrolyte therefrom; a cathode element carried by said barrel and in contact with the electrolyte therein; a bearing structure Within the tank and upon which the barrel is mounted to turn, this bearing structure being mounted to be movable to permitv the barrel to be electrolyte therefrom;

placed in accessible position; a terminal for tlie'cathode element carried by the bearing structure; and a circuit terminal complemental to the aforesaid terminal and en- A'gageable thereby when thc barrel and its bearing structure are in place Within the electrolyte and from which complemental circuit terminal the cathode terminal is separable 'When the barrel .is adjusted to be accessible.

4. In an electroplating apparatus, the combination With a tank containing an electrolyte; an anode element in said electrolyte; a barrel Within the tank and in communication with its interior to receive electrolyte therefrom; a cathode element carried by said barrel and in contact with the electrolyte therein; a bearing structure Within the tank and upon which the barrell is mounted to move, this bearing structure being mounted to be movable to permit the. barrel to be placed in accessible position; a terminal for the, cathode clement carried by the bearingir structure; a circuit terminal compleinental to the aforesaid terminal and engageable y thereby when the barrel and its bearing structure are in place Within the electrolyte and from Which complemental circuitterminal the cathode terminal is separable when the barrel is'adjusted to be accessible; and contacts in slipping engagement interposed-between the cathode element and its aforesaid terminal.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name.

ELMER J. MERCIL. 

